Go with a plan.
Numbeo's Safety Index puts Cape Town at 26/100 for crime — that makes it read sketchier than South Africa's national picture overall (56/100 vs 61/100).
City page · part of South Africa
The one number a country page can't give you
What people who actually live in Cape Town report
Numbeo aggregates thousands of resident-submitted perception surveys into a per-city Crime Index (higher = worse) and its inverse, a Safety Index — the only real city-granularity crime signal feeding this page, alongside South Africa's national advisory, political, health, and police-trust data.
Crime Index
73.6
Safety Index
26.4
Sub-scores
Same real inputs as South Africa's national page, with crime swapped for Cape Town's own Numbeo number above.
Local know-how
Staying safe in Cape Town, specifically
- • While Cape Town is not a dangerous place for tourists, South Africans are significantly more safety-conscious than people in most other parts of the world.
- • A large number of outdoor CCTV cameras have been installed by the municipality.
- • Central Cape Town is generally safe to walk around by day, though you should not take valuables with you and should avoid dressing like a tourist.
- • After sundown, you should take a taxi or ride-hailing service to and from your destination, rather than walking.
- • If visiting a township, go with one or more people who live there or know it well.
- • Foreigners should avoid hitchhiking or using local commuter and metro trains. Be aware of automated teller machine (ATM) con artists.…
Legal status (national law)
Male legal since 8 May 1998Female always legal; equal age of consent since 2007 + UN decl. sign.
Source: Wikipedia — LGBTQ rights by country →Pack this, know this
The little things that trip people up
Plug & voltage
C / M / N · 230V
Driving side
left
Emergency
police: 10 111 / ambulance: 10 177 / fire: 10 177
Tipping
Tipping is the norm in restaurants. Indeed, most of these businesses pay their staff the legal minimum-wage, relying on customer tips to bring staff incomes up to live-able levels. Tips of around 10% of the bill are considered the norm but you may refuse to tip if the food and/or service were below par. Please note some restaurants management shares all "official" tips, you may want to rather give
Cash vs. Card
The currency is the rand, denoted by the symbol "R" (ISO code: ZAR). It is divided into 100 cents (c). Notes are in denominations of R200, R100, R50, R20 and R10. Higher value notes are slightly larger in physical size than small value notes. All notes have a metallic security strip and a watermark. Two series of banknotes are in circulation and are legal tender in South Africa, the "Big Five" ser
How this compares to South Africa
Numbeo's Safety Index puts Cape Town at 26/100 for crime — that makes it read sketchier than South Africa's national picture overall (56/100 vs 61/100).
See the full South Africa page and all receipts →